Massdep Announces 2018-2019 GREEN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: June 21, 2019 Joe Ferson 617-654-6523

Massachusetts Environmental Officials Present ‘Green Team’ Awards to Massachusetts Schools

MassDEP Recognizes Young Environmental Stewardship Educational Activities

BOSTON – State environmental officials today recognized students from 72 schools across the Commonwealth for outstanding environmental actions as members of the “Green Team,” a statewide environmental education program sponsored by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). “Congratulations to the teachers and students who participated in the Green Team program during the past school year, showing that there’s a new generation of enthusiasm and environmental leadership in Massachusetts communities,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “Participation in Green Team activities is an important educational foundation that helps students take action to protect our natural resources, and brings to life the subjects they are learning in school.” Students of any age can participate in the Green Team program, an initiative composed of students who share the goals of reducing pollution and protecting the environment. More than 82,000 students in 351 classes at 322 schools joined the Green Team this school year.

Students took part in a range of activities, including:  Expanding school recycling programs;  Collecting textiles for donation and recycling;  Starting a compost pile using organic waste from the school cafeteria, and using the compost it generates to nourish a garden to grow vegetables;  Making their school driveways “Idle-Free Zones”;  Increasing energy efficiency in their schools and communities; and  Reducing their carbon footprint at school and at home.

These activities incorporated classroom disciplines from the fields of science, engineering and mathematics to reading, writing and art, as well as other non-classroom, interrelated projects.

“Green Team students learn environmental stewardship, bringing energy conservation, recycling, composting and pollution prevention projects to our schools and communities,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “Green Team members work to have a positive impact on our environment and to make their communities more sustainable.”

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Charles D. Baker, Governor • Karyn E. Polito, Lt. Governor Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs • Kathleen A. Theoharides, Secretary Department of Environmental Protection • Martin Suuberg, Commissioner One Winter Street • Boston 02108 • (617) 292-5500 • www.mass.gov/dep

Participating teachers received a Green Team Kit containing classroom posters, lesson plans, recycling tips and access to a library of other resources. In addition, 51 schools received recycling equipment from the Green Team to initiate or expand school recycling programs. Fifteen schools received signs reading “Idle-Free Zone” from the Green Team that serve as a visual reminder to drivers to turn off their engines while waiting in the schoolyard.

Participating classes were entered into a drawing for prizes, and 72 classes received prizes for their efforts (full listing below). Seventeen schools won grand prizes, and will receive schoolwide performances by environmental educators Jack Golden and Peter O’Malley, or gift cards to local garden centers for trees or garden supplies to further “green” their schools.

To learn more or to participate in the 2019-20 school year, the 18th year for the Green Team, teachers may sign up online here.

The following are the Green Team prize winners:

School Name Community Teacher Green Team Prize Tammy James Clark Elementary School Agawam Garden Supplies Rumplik Amesbury Elementary School Amesbury Bruce McBrien Garden Supplies Thompson Elementary School Arlington Elizabeth Rocco Recycling Show Alana Oakmont Regional High School Ashburnham Garden Supplies Archangelo Swift River Elementary School Belchertown Cindy Fournier Garden Supplies Ellison Parks Early Education Boston Donnie Lucente Recycling Show Center Leslie Andrew Peabody School Cambridge Recycling Show Williams-Dunn Mount Alvernia Academy Chestnut Hill Maria Lyons Recycling Show Agawam Junior High School Feeding Hills Sandee Johnson Recycling Show Lt. Clayre P. Sullivan Elementary Holyoke Rick Haggerty Recycling Show School Robert Frost Middle School Lawrence Paul Flanigan Garden Supplies Bartlett Community Partnership Joanne Lowell Recycling Show School Downing Manchester Essex Regional Manchester Keith Gray Garden Supplies Middle/High School South Shore Natural Science Center Norwell Diane Thureson Recycling Show

Preschool

Captain Samuel Brown School Peabody Diane Bugler Garden Supplies Scott Sunaz- Joseph G. Luther Elementary Swansea Lods & Lindsay Garden Supplies School Poirier West Jeremy Rose L. MacDonald School Recycling Show Bridgewater Dempsey Youth Center Inc. Adams Amber LaFogg Wristbands Brackett Elementary School Arlington Rachel Oliveri Seeded Bookmarks Jennifer John A. Bishop Elementary School Arlington Davidson- Seeded Bookmarks Jardeleza Katherine Stratton Elementary School Arlington Wristbands Whang Boston Latin Academy Boston Kara Stafford Wristbands Boylston Elementary School Boylston Nicole Avery Wristbands John D. Runkle Elementary School Brookline Tanya Paris Compost Activity Books Marshall Simonds Middle School Burlington Jane Lynch Information wheels Hoosac Valley Middle and High Lindsay Cheshire Recycled Tire Key Rings School McGinnis Cohasset High School Cohasset Peter Afanasiw Wristbands Joseph Lee School Dorchester Alice Daly Wristbands Recycling Information St. John Paul II Catholic Academy Dorchester Emily Gaylord Wheels Dante Alighieri Montessori School East Boston Teresa Strong Wristbands East Sandwich STEM Academy Amy Ferreira Information wheels Sandwich Hilltown Cooperative Charter Meghan Easthampton Wristbands Public School Siudzinski Recycling Information Crocker Elementary School Fitchburg Ron Becker Wheels Compost Information Fitchburg High School Fitchburg Heather Root Wheels South Street Elementary School Fitchburg Chip Tourigny Wristbands Brian Recycling Information Vincent M. Igo Elementary School Foxborough Beckenstein Wheels Academy of Early Learning Greenfield Jennie Horton Compost Activity Books

Miriam Newton Elementary School Greenfield Robinson Wristbands Hancock Elementary School Hancock Brian Keller Wristbands Holyoke High School Holyoke Robert Frye Wristbands Hopedale Memorial School Hopedale Jane LeClaire Wristbands Memorial Middle School Hull Heather Weber Wristbands Johnny Appleseed School Leominster Brigid Gilchrist Wristbands Kathryn P. Stoklosa Middle School Lowell Elinor Sadlier Seeded Bookmarks Margie St. Patrick School Lowell Wristbands O'Donnell Michelle Beebe School Malden Wristbands Corbett Recycling Information St. Mary's Catholic School Mansfield Regan Haney Wheels Elizabeth Carter Brooks Elementary New Bedford Kelly Keaton Compost Activity Books School Christopher Greater New Bedford Vocational Pires & New Bedford Wristbands Tech. High School Lawrence Carlesi Heather Mason Rice Elementary School Newton Wristbands Friedman Underwood Elementary School Newton Andy Gluck Wristbands Pvt. Albert E. Thomson Elementary North Nicole Radulski Wristbands School Andover L. G. Nourse Elementary School Norton Nancy Grant Compost Activity Books Norwell Middle School Norwell Christina Bailey Wristbands Allison Norwood High School Norwood Wristbands Leichtman Norwood Montessori School Norwood Tamiko Porter Wristbands Taconic High School Pittsfield Tanya Michaud Wristbands Atherton Hough Elementary School Quincy Teresa Quinton Wristbands Rockport Middle/High School Rockport Robert Allia Wristbands Salem Early Childhood Center Salem Rachael Lord Compost Activity Books Witchcraft Heights Elementary Compost Information Salem Kelly Cronin School Wheels George R. Martin Elementary Corinne Seekonk Wristbands School Carvalho

Compost Information Seekonk High School Seekonk Angela Cunard Wheels Albert S. Woodward Memorial Mary Ellen Southborough Wristbands School Duggan The Grow School Southbridge Martha Burkett Information Wheels Robert F Kennedy Childrens Action Joanna Heron- Springfield Wristbands Corps - RFK Academy Forge't Margarett Swampscott Middle School Swampscott Information wheels Ardman Uxbridge High School Uxbridge Lisa Struppa Wristbands Mary Ellen Recycling Information Whitin Intermediate School Uxbridge Jansson Wheels James Fitzgerald Elementary School Waltham Marisa McNally Seeded Bookmarks Loker Elementary School Wayland Anne Johnson Wristbands Dr. Arthur F. Sullivan Middle Worcester Jill Thibodeau Information wheels School

MassDEP is responsible for ensuring clean air and water, safe management and recycling of solid and hazardous wastes, timely cleanup of hazardous waste sites and spills and the preservation of wetlands and coastal resources.

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